Convertible Head And Neck Supporting Apparel
Disclosed herein is a convertible apparel for providing cushioned support for the head and neck of a wearer. The convertible apparel comprises a hood and a body portion. The hood is detachably attached to the body portion of the convertible apparel. The hood covers the head of the wearer. The hood comprises an inner layer and an outer layer. A cushion structure is detachably attached to the inner layer of the hood for supporting the head of the wearer. The hood is folded around the cushion structure to create a neck support for supporting the neck of the wearer. The hood with the cushion structure thereby provides support for the head and neck of the wearer.
This invention, in general, refers to hooded apparels. More particularly, this invention relates to a convertible apparel with a hood for providing cushioned support for the head and neck of a wearer.
Conventional hooded apparels comprise hoods made of moderately thick fabrics. The hoods act as a protective covering to the head of the wearer but do not provide support for the head or the neck of the wearer. Travelers, typically, need hooded apparels which also provide support for the head or the neck, so that additional cushioned supports need not be carried along during travel.
Hence, there is a need for a convertible apparel that provides protection as well as support for the head and neck of the wearer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The convertible apparel disclosed herein addresses the above stated need for providing cushioned support for the head and neck of the wearer. The convertible apparel comprises a hood and a body portion. The hood covers the head of the wearer. The hood is detachably attached to the body portion of the convertible apparel. The hood may be detachably attached to the body portion of the convertible apparel using Velcro®, buttons, zipper, magnets, etc. The hood comprises an inner layer and an outer layer made of different materials.
The convertible apparel further comprises a cushion structure detachably attached to the inner layer of the hood. The cushion structure may be a single cushion structure or may be broken up into two or three cushion structures. The cushion structure may be made of hypo allergenic materials, for example cotton, micro fiber, feather down, etc. The convertible apparel further comprises a neck support. The neck support comprises the hood folded around the cushion structure to support the neck of the wearer. The hood further comprises a cord used for tightening the hood to the head of the wearer and also to ease the method of folding the hood around the cushion structure to create the neck support. The convertible apparel disclosed herein further comprises holders attached to shoulder section of the body portion for holding the neck support onto the body portion.
The convertible apparel provides travelers, campus students, commuters, hunters, hikers, etc., cushioned support as they may use the hood with the cushion structure to support their heads or fold the hood around the cushion structure to create the neck support for supporting their necks.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, exemplary constructions of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein.
The hood 101 comprises a front edge defining a facial opening. The hood 101 is detachably attached to the body portion 102 of the apparel 100. The hood 101 may be detachably attached to the body portion 102 of the apparel 100 using one of Velcro®, buttons, zipper, magnets, etc. The hood 101 may also be sewed to the body portion 102 of the apparel 100. The hood 101 may be made of breathable materials that provides comfort and avoids suffocation or severe sweating. The hood 101 may be thick to keep the head of the wearer warm while providing support for the head if the wearer is lying on the side.
The apparel 100 further comprises a cord 103 passing through a channel between the inner layer 101a and the outer layer 101b within the hood 101 defined by a neckline 105. The free ends of the cord 103 extend outwards from the open ends of the channel. The free ends of the cord 103 may be pulled towards each other beneath the face of the wearer to adjust the hood 101 on the head of the wearer. The cord 103 may also be freely slidable so that the free ends of the cord 103 may be adjustably connected together beneath the chin of the wearer. The cord 103 may also be used to tighten and provide a grip to fold the hood 101 around the cushion structure 104 to create a neck support 202.
The apparel 100 further comprises a cushion structure 104 detachably attached to the inner layer 101a of the hood 101 for supporting the head of the wearer as illustrated in
The hood 101 is folded around the cushion structure 104 to create a neck support 202.
The foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention disclosed herein. While the invention has been described with reference to various embodiments, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Further, although the invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, may effect numerous modifications thereto and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in its aspects.
Claims
1. A convertible apparel for providing cushioned support for head and neck of a wearer, comprising: whereby the hood with the cushion structure provides support for the head and the neck of the wearer.
- a hood detachably attached to body portion of said convertible apparel for covering said head of said wearer, wherein said hood comprises an inner layer and an outer layer;
- a cushion structure detachably attached to said inner layer of the hood for supporting the head of the wearer; and
- a neck support comprising the hood folded around said cushion structure to support said neck of the wearer;
2. The convertible apparel of claim 1, wherein the cushion structure is made of hypo allergenic materials.
3. The convertible apparel of claim 1, wherein the hood comprises a cord for tightening and providing grip to fold the hood around the cushion structure to create said neck support.
4. The convertible apparel of claim 1, wherein the hood comprises a front edge defining a facial opening.
5. The convertible apparel of claim 1, further comprising holders provided at shoulder section of said body portion for holding said neck support onto the body portion.
6. A method of providing cushioned support for head and neck of a wearer, comprising the steps of:
- providing a convertible apparel comprising a hood and a body portion, wherein said hood comprising an inner layer and an outer layer covers said head of said wearer;
- detachably attaching a cushion structure to said inner layer of the hood, wherein the hood with said cushion structure supports the head of the wearer; and
- folding the hood around said cushion structure to create a neck support for supporting said neck of the wearer.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the hood is detachably attached to said convertible apparel.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of folding the hood with the cushion structure, comprises the steps of:
- loosening a cord provided inside the hood and stretching said cord to full length;
- compressing the cushion structure inside the hood; and
- folding the hood over the cord into said neck support.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said neck support is fastened to shoulder section of said body portion using holders.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 19, 2008
Publication Date: Feb 25, 2010
Inventor: Mary Elizabeth Hildebrandt (Lyndhurst, NJ)
Application Number: 12/193,771
International Classification: A41D 3/00 (20060101); A42B 1/04 (20060101);